On the Hunt for Colorful Murals in Đà Lạt's Hilly Hẻms
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- Published on 20 March 2022
- Written by Paul Christiansen. Photos by Alberto Prieto.
Was color a casualty of COVID-19? Along with the freedom to gather, to attend live concerts and travel, did the pandemic rob us of opportunities to fully appreciate color?
Photography Project Shows Hanoi Through the Eyes of Migrant Workers
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- Published on 18 March 2022
- Written by Saigoneer. Photos courtesy of Livable Hanoi.
Some came from the mountains, some were born near the sea — all have come to Hanoi to make a living. They are the migrant workers of this city, yet to them Hanoi is more than just a place to work. Through the project Photovoice, here are some stories of how migrant workers have made the capital their home.
Huế Plans to Relocate 100-Year-Old French Mansion to Make Room for Hotel
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- Published on 17 March 2022
- Written by Saigoneer.
To make room for new developments, Huế authorities are mulling options to uproot and relocate a century-old villa.
In Điện Điên and Mutant Lounge Radio Shows, a Hidden Universe of Vietnam's Electronic Music
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- Published on 17 March 2022
- Written by Elise Luong. Top image by Phan Nhi.
Many moons ago I had the pleasure of encountering Tobias Paramore’s lopsided grin in a dimly lit music event in Hanoi. Originally from Australia, Paramore has been creating electronic music since 2003. Currently based in Đà Nẵng, he arrived in Vietnam in 2016 and threw himself into the eclectic underground of Hanoi’s music scene.
Huế's Fantastic Herbs and Where to Find Them, Now in Book Form
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- Published on 15 March 2022
- Written by Michael Tatarski. Top image by Simona Nguyễn. Photos courtesy of Henry Herbert.
Have you ever walked past a plant and wondered "Hey, I wonder what that could do?"
[Photos] A Peaceful House by the Lake in Cổ Đông, Hanoi
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- Published on 14 March 2022
- Written by Saigoneer.
This family home outside Hanoi proves that it is possible to build inside nature without destroying it in the process.
Digital Artist Transports Us Back to Hanoi Tramway’s Halcyon Days
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- Published on 11 March 2022
- Written by Saigoneer.
Many Hanoians have seen historical photos of the capital’s lost tramway network, which was inaugurated in 1901. What began as a state-of-the-art electric tramway eventually fell into disrepair in the late 20th century, with some lines continuing to function as late as the 1980s.
Meet KURROCK, the First Vietnamese Rock Band in Japan
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- Published on 09 March 2022
- Written by Hải Yến and Ann Ann.
In KURROCK’s songs, one can appreciate a pronounced fusion of two seemingly detached music scenes that are 4,000 kilometers apart.
[Photos] A Recuperating Vietnam in 1980, as Documented by Philip Jones Griffiths
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- Published on 07 March 2022
- Written by Saigoneer.
Released in 1971, Vietnam Inc. by Philip Jones Griffiths was a career-defining work for the Welsh photographer, whose candid, sympathetic images of Vietnam during the American War showed a much different side of the country to a global audience.
Ever Wonder What Happens to Your Plastic Bags? Ask Vietnam's Ve Chai Army.
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- Published on 04 March 2022
- Written by Trang Bùi. Photos by Kit Humphrey.
Lacking an effective official scheme, Hanoi relies on an army of informal workers to recycle its waste — a situation that hasn't changed over the last four decades.
Adorable Metro Illustrations Take Viewers on a Joyride Through Saigon
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- Published on 03 March 2022
- Written by Uyên Đỗ.
As fans of Vietnam’s busiest city, graphic designers An Nguyễn and Học Nguyễn launched a mock communication campaign to create prospective visual branding for the upcoming Ho Chi Minh City Metro. The vibrant project celebrates the city’s many identities through the crossover between its different lifebloods — namely traffic, food, architecture and people.
Touching the Infinite: An Interview With Vietnamese Canadian Novelist Kim Thúy
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- Published on 02 March 2022
- Written by Paul Christiansen. Illustration by Hannah Hoang.
Why pencils are yellow; the connections between the aviation industry, a centuries-old Central American ballgame and sex; the “true” color of goldfish; the reason we never see Buddha peeing; and the genre-bending decision best-selling novelist Kim Thúy made for her recent book: my conversation with Thúy spun wildly in different directions for over three hours.
Cầy Vằn Bắc: Caught in the Crossfire of the Cà Phê Chồn Industry
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- Published on 01 March 2022
- Written by Michael Tatarski.
While Saigoneer’s Natural Selection series has already covered a number of iconic species and types of animals, including the tiger, Asian elephant, dogs and cats, there’s a good chance most of the people reading this haven’t heard of today’s critter.
Hẻm Gems: Tân Định's Tried-and-True Bánh Canh Cua for a Late Breakfast
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- Published on 28 February 2022
- Written by Mervin Lee. Photos by Mervin Lee.
Bánh canh, at times described as Vietnamese udon or even “mouse-tail noodles,” is a great mystery on its own. Etymologically speaking, bánh canh translates to “soup-cake,” and these thick, cylindrical noodles made with tapioca and rice flour of varying ratios do invoke a sense of cognitive dissonance.
Hẻm Gems: In Warmth and Good Drinks, an Amiable Cafe's Spirit Lives On
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- Published on 27 February 2022
- Written by Ái Võ. Photos by Lê Thái Hoàng Nguyên.
How would you feel if everything about your favorite spot suddenly changed one day? Would the same attachment still stand? Those were the questions that popped into my head the afternoon I paid my visit to cafe Nhà Phạm’s new home.
Linh Ha's Ethereal Vocal Harmonies Push the Boundaries of Hanoi's Electronic Music Scene
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- Published on 25 February 2022
- Written by Isabelle Taft. Photos courtesy of Linh Ha.
When Linh Ha hosts Xom Nhac, Hanoi Social Club’s regular live music showcase, her electronic instruments, all sleek plastic and snaking black wires, lie on top of a silky floral scarf. The scarf is spread in front of her on the floor, where she sits throughout her performance, level with the audience. Everyone can see the precise motions — a button pressed here, a pedal held there, a shaker up to the microphone, and Linh Ha’s careful, clear singing — that produce the ethereal music we’re hearing.
Vietnam's Virtual YouTubers and the Surprising Bond of Anonymous Friendship
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- Published on 23 February 2022
- Written by Thế Anh. Top graphic by Phan Nhi.
Vtubers have been taking the global streaming industry by storm for several years now, with millions of fans that span the globe, even in Vietnam. Yet despite this obvious popularity, local Vtubers catering to a Vietnamese audience are only a recent phenomenon.
[Photos] Inside a Vaccination Point in Vietnam Nearly 100 Years Ago
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- Published on 23 February 2022
- Written by Saigoneer. .
A century ago, the colonial government was active in inoculating Vietnamese citizens against a variety of diseases.
Hẻm Gems: Curry Shika and 12 Years of Making Memories in Saigon
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- Published on 20 February 2022
- Written by Khoi Pham. Photos by Le Thai Hoang Nguyen. Graphic by Simona Nguyen.
Unlike a normal human, there is a chance that my body is not 70% water, but 70% curry; and a good 50% of that might actually be Japanese curry.
[Photos] Once Upon a Time in Bát Tràng Ceramic Village
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- Published on 18 February 2022
- Written by Saigoneer.
Back in the day, when Emperor Lý Thái Tổ relocated the capital from Ninh Binh to Hanoi, five famous pottery families followed. They settled in a region on the east bank of the Red River where there was good clay, and founded the Bat Trang ceramic village.
